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Lexus ESModel year report

2007 Lexus ES Problems

Complaints
125filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
80,123miles, 59 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2007 Lexus ES (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe two interior problems: a dashboard that becomes sticky, shiny and cracked with heat and sun exposure, and door glass that comes off its track when the plastic clips break. Both are reported across a wide mileage range, often years after purchase, and many complaints focus on glare that reduces forward visibility; transmission shift quality and headlights cutting out are also described.

  1. Body and structure

    Melting, sticky dashboard and windshield glare

    • 46 complaints (37%)
    • median 76,200 mi at 7.8 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2025

    Owners describe the top of the dashboard turning shiny, sticky and soft, and in some cases cracking or peeling, with sun exposure and hot, humid climates mentioned often. Complaints state the glossy surface reflects sunlight and headlights onto the windshield and interferes with the driver's view, and some mention a burning plastic or musty odor and sticky residue on the steering wheel and door panels. Owners report asking dealers and the manufacturer for replacement and being told a warranty extension or customer support program ended in May 2017 and that no recall covers it. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 180,000 miles, usually after several years and often after hot-weather or long sun exposure.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Look at the dashboard in direct sun and feel it for tackiness; note whether reflections wash out the view through the windshield, and ask whether any interior trim replacement or cover was already done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My dashboard is melting. There was a customer support program that expired in 2017. I never received any information about taking my car in for a dashboard replacement. When it's hot outside the glare is so intense that I am not able to drive the car because I am afraid of having an accident. I am not able to clean the dashboard. It has so much debris on it that can't be removed.”

    NHTSA complaint #11252184, filed 2019-08, 150,000 miles

    “The dashboard of my 2007 ES 350 is melting away. It has a really shiny & sticky area on the driver side which, causes a lot of glare on the windshield & making it a safety concern. Also, the dashboard has areas that started cracking due, to the same issue. Also, the door panels are melting as well. I try to protect the dashboard with the sunshades, but it is getting worse (each day). Please help.”

    NHTSA complaint #10617061, filed 2014-07, 82,300 miles
  2. Body and structure

    Front door glass comes off track (broken clips)

    • 7 complaints (6%)
    • median 80,123 mi at 6.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2012–2015

    Complaints describe a front door window dropping into the door or tilting out of its track, sometimes with a loud pop, while driving or shortly after operating the window. Owners say the plastic clips or mounting tabs that hold the glass had broken, and that dealers quoted replacement of the whole glass assembly rather than the clips, with the window needing manual holding until repaired. Several report the same failure on the opposite door afterwards. Mostly reported between about 29,000 and 123,000 miles, in cold as well as warm weather, occasionally at highway speed.

    What to check: Operate both front windows fully up and down before buying and listen for pops or grinding; ask whether either glass or regulator has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Front passenger side window came off track while driving---window was not being opened or closed/there was a loud sound & when I pulled over window was off track/took vehicle to dealer (non Lexus) where I purchased car & was told a click that is on window broke & entire window needs replacing/I searched the web & discovered other owners have had the same problem”

    NHTSA complaint #10715326, filed 2015-05, 113,500 miles

    “While we driving down the turnpike heading into philadelphia, my wife tried to roll down her windows and then back up. As she did, the glass came off its track and almost popped out of the door. We were going about 70 MPH. At this speed, that window may have come off and flown off our car, hitting another car. This would have been potentially fatal. The only reason it did not fly off, was my wife grabbed on to it while I pulled over immediately.”

    NHTSA complaint #10510704, filed 2013-05, 60,000 miles
  3. Other or unknown

    Unexpected acceleration from a stop or while parking

    • 14 complaints (11%)
    • median 67,000 mi at 10.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2025

    Several owners describe the engine revving on its own and the car surging forward at low speed, such as pulling into a parking space, leaving a driveway or waiting at a light, and one reports the engine staying running after the car was shut off. Some state that braking hard or shifting to neutral stopped the car, and that dealers could not find a cause when asked to inspect it. Reported from very low mileage up to about 100,000 miles, mostly at parking-lot and driveway speeds.

    What to check: Have the throttle body, pedal assembly and floor mat retention checked, and ask whether any prior complaint or diagnosis of unintended acceleration was recorded for the car.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On thur nov 6, 2009, at approx 6:00 pm., I was driving on a wet country lane in wexford, pa. Driving slowly, less than 15 MPH on an up hill curve, I applied my brakes and shortly afterward the engine unexpectedly and unintentionally accelerated causing my car to swerve to the left and into shrubbery adjacent to the lane. My foot was not on the accelerator and the floor mat was anchored. Auto damage is minor limited to left front bumper, est at $1,000-$1,500 damage.”

    NHTSA complaint #11279155, filed 2019-11, 150,000 miles

    “I was in my car, motor running, facing traffic ,stopped at edge of driveway, with foot on brake, waiting for traffic to clear. Suddenly car started to accelerate. I reflexibly pressed on brake with maximum force. Car continued very slowly. I pulled out of gear to neutral which stopped car. Car traveled no more then 1 car length to stop next to curb. After a pause, I proceeded to drive to stops over 4 hours, I then drove home. The next morning I called and left message with NHTSA and the car manufacturer. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11269047, filed 2019-10, 99,992 miles
  4. Exterior lighting

    Headlights cutting out while driving

    • 6 complaints (5%)
    • median 55,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2013–2025

    Owners describe one or both low-beam headlights turning off on their own while driving, sometimes intermittently and sometimes simultaneously, with the dash indicator still showing the lights as on. Some report that cycling the headlight switch brings them back, and that replacing bulbs or ballasts did not resolve it; one owner reports the plastic mount behind the lamp was degrading from heat. Complaints note dealers recommending headlamp replacement. Reported from about 45,000 to 104,000 miles, in both night highway and city driving.

    What to check: Run the lights at night and watch for dropouts or flicker; ask whether bulbs, ballasts or lamp housings have been replaced, and have the wiring and lamp mounts inspected.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The lower beam hid lights went out intermittently (sometimes left, sometimes right front-light). After stopping and turning off the ignition, the lights come on again after restarting the engine. A few times, both lights turned off at the same time, so that I was completely in the dark and I had to pull over and stop the car. After I replaced the bulbs, it improved for about 6 month. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10626594, filed 2014-08, 44,871 miles

    “Both headlights turn off randomly and sometimes at the same time. Sometimes the brightness lowers. I have had both ballasts and bulbs changed and the problem persists. In my research, it appears that many 2007 Lexus ES 350 owners have had and still have this very dangerous problem. This problem has been ongoing for well over a year. The reason is UNKNOWN by me.”

    NHTSA complaint #11636986, filed 2025-01

Buying note. Inspect the dashboard closely in sunlight and test both front windows and the headlights on a test drive, since those are the most frequently described problems and repairs are often paid by the owner. Ask for service records on transmission software updates and any prior diagnosis of unexpected acceleration before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2007 Lexus ES. 59 of the complaints include a mileage, and 19% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 80,123 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 8 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 29 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Steering (3), Vehicle speed control (3), Electronic stability control (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Equipment (1), Seats (1), Suspension (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I have had my Lexus since 2007 I have many times recieved letters for my recall on the air bags recall id rtpw-48q I called and spoke with Lexus who then set up an account with me and then found me a location to have the recall fixed this was around october of 2018 since then I have had some troubling findings that I believe my husband at the time has possibly done things to my car that could potentially harm or kill not only me but my 6 year old I do no my dash has been removed and replaced and since iv seen my husband in his mechanic shop pull dashes off I no he is experienced I was also…”

NHTSA complaint #11267211, filed 2019-10, 150,000 miles

Other or unknown: “My dashboard is so shinny I have to get off the interstate if the sun is facing me. My local atlanta dealership informed me about my passenger side air bad recall ......but did not inform me about the dash recall. I felt betrayed and called Lexus corporate with no results. Why is not a system on placer to notify owners when a recall is issued by corporate instead of the local dealership? My local dealership is hennessy Lexus of atlanta.”

NHTSA complaint #11364466, filed 2020-10, 155,000 miles

Body and structure: “It isn't bad enough that toyota corp sold me a dashboard on my 2007 Lexus es350 that melts in the sunlight, but as it melts it leaves a dangerous shiny residue that impairs my ability to drive safely, especially at night. This needs to be recalled.”

NHTSA complaint #11364198, filed 2020-10, 75,000 miles

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “I am having issues with visibility since I have a sticky, cracked dashboard, and it's peeling off bit by bit. I have called Lexus corporate multiple times and they said they couldn't do anything. I would have to pay out of pocket or buy a cover which quite frankly it looks ugly on a luxury sedan. When I bought the car I thought it was a cosmetic issue, but it has gotten worse especially on hot weather like the state of oklahoma. It is really concerning as I almost hit a pedestrian when the sun was glaring over my front windshield. …”

NHTSA complaint #11318515, filed 2020-03, 1 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

19% of the 59 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,000 and 142,000 miles.

5%0–102%10–2512%25–5022%50–7519%75–10022%100–15019%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (59 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 80,123 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’1423’1723’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2007 Lexus ES in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 29 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 29 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus ES

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20255—1525—Too new
2024910,1002526—Too new
20231050,0902544—Too new
2022116,8320528—Not enough data
20212838,000152848 · TypicalRising
20201827,6901544—Rising
20193411,0001544100 · MoreFalling
201852000—40—Not enough data
20169115,5000—40—Not enough data
20155115,0000—40—Not enough data
20133445,0000—4054 · TypicalStable
20123166,3160——36 · TypicalStable
20114647,0000——82 · MoreRising
20104170,0000——11 · FewerStable
20092879,0000——36 · TypicalRising
20086862,0000——52 · TypicalRising
200712580,1230——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200612115,0000———Not enough data
2005598,8500——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20041689,0000———Falling
20032368,0000———Rising
20022796,1500——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20006140,0000———Not enough data
1999885,0000———Not enough data

All Lexus ES model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Lexus ES?

Owners of this model year most often describe two interior problems: a dashboard that becomes sticky, shiny and cracked with heat and sun exposure, and door glass that comes off its track when the plastic clips break. The issues reported most often: Melting, sticky dashboard and windshield glare; Front door glass comes off track (broken clips); Unexpected acceleration from a stop or while parking.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2007 Lexus ES have?

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2007 Lexus ES as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2007 Lexus ES is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 34 complaints (27% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 31.

Has the 2007 Lexus ES been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2007 Lexus ES reported?

Among the 59 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 80,123 miles and the middle half falls between 55,000 and 142,000 miles; 19% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.